How far can Spurs go this season?

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Tottenham Hotspur claimed their twelfth league win of season last night with a 2-0 victory at Norwich City.  They have now lost just one domestic match in the last four months, capping off a fantastic first-half to the season. More impressively, Tottenham are third in the Premier League, ahead of local rivals Chelsea and Arsenal, with a game in hand on teams around them.

At this stage of the season, the question must be asked: are Tottenham Hotspur legitimate title contenders?

Other than Manchester City and Manchester United, Tottenham have been the most consistent Premier League side since losing their opening two matches against their Mancunian counterparts, and have taken 38 points from 15 games. Had they won a point against both Manchester clubs, they would now be just three points behind first place, with a game in hand.

Tottenham's early Europa League exit was disappointing, but that competition will not have been Harry Redknapp's main priority this season. Although they do have a large enough squad to deal with the daunting Thursday/Sunday fixtures, the Europa League served as somewhat of an unnecessary distraction, and Redknapp fielded a noticeably weaker side both in that competition and in their Carling Cup loss to Stoke in September. Tottenham's only potential distraction in terms of fixtures is the FA Cup: although a home tie with Cheltenham suggests that its younger personnel will be given the chance to impress in this tournament.

Tottenham's blistering league form is a credit to its strong core of players.  Brad Friedel has been assuring in goal, and the defence has conceded the fourth fewest goals in the Premier League. Despite changes at centre-half, Younes Kaboul and William Gallas have been generally very impressive, while Kyle Walker and Benoit Assou-Ekotto offer width and support in attack. The central midfield pairing of Luka Modric and Scott Parker is arguably the best in the Premier League, while Sandro has also stepped up this season.

Gareth Bale has been absolutely stunning so far this season.  His pace, vision and distribution make him one of the best footballers in England, and one of the most difficult players to contain.  If Tottenham are to mount a serious title threat this season, it will be due in no small part to this man. The front two pairing of Rafael Van Der Vaart and Emmanuel Adebayor is paying dividends, netting fifteen league goals between them to date. A typical starting XI offers a good mix of youth, experience, and depth in every position, making Tottenham a very dangerous side to play against.

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Gareth Bale's incredible form should provide Tottenham with a swift return to Champions League football next year

But full credit must go to Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp, who has transformed this club in just over three years. When he arrived at White Hart Lane in October 2008, they were bottom of the Premier League, having taken just two points from eight games under Juande Ramos. Spurs finished eighth overall that season, taking 49 points from 30 games. Since then, Tottenham have enjoyed fourth and fifth placed league finishes in consecutive seasons, and an inspiring Champions League run to the quarter-finals. If this is Redknapp's final season at White Hart Lane, as speculation indicates, he is certainly bowing out in some style. Should he stay at Tottenham, he has a good chance of winning a league title there in the future. But with the England manager job looming after Euro 2012, it is a big if, as Redknapp has been as equally coy over his position next year as he has been regarding Tottenham's title hopes.

Whether Tottenham can mount a serious title challenge, however, is a different matter.  They were well-beaten by both Manchester City and Manchester United in August, although they endured a difficult pre-season with speculation surrounding Luka Modric's departure from White Hart Lane, and were at the time without Scott Parker and Emmanuel Adebayor, who have since helped to transform their league position. At their best, they are capable of causing any side problems, and the two Manchester clubs still have the Europa League to contest in. With a seven point deficit, Tottenham realistically need both Manchester City and Manchester United to slip up in order for them to make ground on the top two.  But if they do fall short, fans are unlikely to be disappointed with a top-three finish and Champions League football, which they are very capable of achieving.

Although the season is far from over, other sides must recognise Tottenham Hotspur as a genuine threat.  They are playing better football than Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool (having taken seven points from a possible nine against these sides), all of whom have their sights set on Europe next season but have been inconsistent to date.  Early Champions League exits by the two Manchester clubs could mean that fourth place in the Premier League is not enough for a place in the upper echelons of Europe in 2012, so sitting in third position is currently a good place to be. Tottenham certainly have the tools to make a return to the Champions League next season.

Tottenham winning the war, not just the battle

Spurs starting to look like the Arsenal of old as the balance of power shifts in North London

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Tottenham Hotspur's 2-1 win over local rivals Arsenal yesterday may not have been the classic encounter that football fans have come to expect in recent years. In fact, not only did it fail to live up to its expectation of a fiercely-contested and action-packed derby, it was a relatively quiet, perhaps subdued affair – especially in comparison to the 2008 4-4 classic which saw Tottenham stage an incredible injury-time comeback.

During the match, however, one thing was noticeable. Arsenal are not the top side in North London anymore.

Some Spurs fans may argue that their rivals never were the better side. However, Arsene Wenger has certainly had Arsenal playing at a consistently high level over the last decade, whereas Tottenham have undergone several managerial changes before the appointment of Harry Redknapp at White Hart Lane in 2008 started to steer them in the right direction. In that sense, the majority of neutrals would have considered Arsenal as the stronger side at the end of last season.

Tottenham were not the dominant side against Arsenal yesterday, nor were Arsene Wenger's men particularly poor. But both clubs have made a number of changes and decisions over the last six months which have seen the tables turn.

The biggest difference is in midfield. Arsenal lost two key players over the summer, namely Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri to Barcelona and Manchester City respectively. Those two players alone either scored or set up 39 per cent of Arsenal's 72 league goals last season. Mikel Arteta, who was signed by Wenger from Everton seemingly as a replacement, has a very difficult job on his hands to fill the boots of two world-class playmakers – especially considering Arsenal's ever-growing injury list.

In contrast, Totteham's midfield is a thing of beauty. Harry Redknapp was able to fend off interest from other Premier League clubs in Luka Modric, whilst securing the signing of England international Scott Parker from West Ham United for £5 million in arguably the transfer of the season to date. The starting midfield line-up of Gareth Bale, Luka Modric, Scott Parker and Rafael Van Der Vaart against the Gunners yesterday would have made Arsene Wenger green with envy – especially considering players such as Niko Kranjcar, Tom Huddlestone, Sandro and Jake Livermore are also on the fringes.

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How important was it for Tottenham to keep Luka Modric over the summer? 

In recent seasons, Arsenal have managed to cover up their defensive frailties with the ability to create a number of goal-scoring opportunities every game. But with injuries to Laurent Koscielny, Thomas Vermaelen and now Bacary Sagna who suffered a broken leg in yesterday's clash, their defense now seems suspect; this was highlighted after Arsenal conceded 12 goals in two consecutive league matches away from home against Manchester United and Blackburn. The addition of German international Per Mertesacker which seemed so good on paper has done nothing to strengthen Arsenal's backline, and their back four yesterday included midfielder Alex Song. Whilst Tottenham are not renowned for their defensive nature, their options are certainly plentiful in comparison.

Finally, Totteham's loan-signing of Emmanuel Adebayor was another great decision by Harry Redknapp – if not somewhat controversial. The Togolese striker spent three and a half years with Arsenal before moving to Manchester City in 2009. After half a season with Spanish giants Real Madrid, Adebayor signed a year-long loan deal with Spurs this summer and has since found the net three times in five league games. On the contrary, although Arsenal still have Robin Van Persie - undoubtedly one of the best strikers the Premier League has ever seen - something still does not seem right. The loss of Fabregas and Nasri has left the Dutch forward with a heavy burden to carry. Although Gervinho did join the club this summer, he is a different type of player and, although it is still early in the season it seems unlikely to be able to pick up where the former left off. Marouane Chamakh has failed to impress since arriving at the Emirates Stadium last season, leaving question marks over where Arsenal's goals are going to come from.

Although there was no gulf in class during yesterday's match, at times it did seem as if Tottenham and Arsenal are headed in different directions. Although Arsene Wenger's has his side in the Champions League this season, Tottenham have the stronger squad by far - as indicated by yesterday's starting XI. The slight additions made by Harry Redknapp has improved his side - potentially to a top-four finish - while Wenger's panic-buying combined with several injured players could prove to be his longest season as a manager. At times so far this season, Spurs have looked like the side Arsenal used to be a few years ago – and the side Arsenal fans probably still wish they were.